Baked Goods for Birthday Party

[yunnermeier]

I will be baking for a small birthday party(no kids) 2 weekends from now. The guests are very down-to-earth rustic sorts who aren't too comfortable with fancy stuff (this means no cardamons or spices etc. design is fine tho) but also not American-style cakes/cookies (which are deemed too sweet) or cheesecakes (too weird). Yet, I want something different from the usual stuff you can get at the bakeries or cafes here.

I'm thinking:

i) Dorie Greenspan's Applespice bars

ii) cupcakes (vanilla and chocolate with a variety of frostings)

iii) a very fudgey chocolate cake (or would that be boring as there are chocolate cupcakes as well?)

iv) a lemon tart (is that common in NL? Chufi? I do find citroentart at some cafes )

v) cookies (chocolate chip/ green tea sables)

Anything else? There will only be 12 people or so who do not particularly like very sweet things so I might have to tone down on the sugar. Do you think what I picked will be too heavy (after dinner, about 8pm, to be taken with coffee as is typically Dutch)? There will also be 2 additional pies (one is probably apple, not sure about the other).

Thanks in advance:)

**Edited to add: Would be lovely if you could let me know which ones can be baked in advance as I only have one small oven and limited supplies*

Edited July 28, 2008 by yunnermeier (log)

[lapin d'or]

For the biscuits how about a shortbread finger cookie.

This is a really nice plain biscuit that keeps well if stored in an airtight tin. There are lots of recipes but here is one from a uk website : shortbread

[chefpeon]

I'm guessing that by "here" you mean Malaysia? Or Holland?

I've always found that when people want stuff that isn't "too sweet" they are usually happy with something that is based on fruit.

I always like to do layers of chiffon cake, soaked with a Triple Sec or orange simple syrup, then layered with whipped cream and fresh fruit. Is that "too typical" of desserts where you are? It's hard to know what the "usual" is where you are since: A) I don't live there, and B) I'm not sure where "there" is.

It might be helpful to us if we know what IS common where you are.

P.S. Cheesecakes are weird?

Edited July 28, 2008 by chefpeon (log)

[prasantrin]

I think yunnermeier is back in the Netherlands now.

Whenever I make North American-style sweets I cut the sugar down with no problem at all. You could easily do that with most recipes you're thinking of using. I generally don't cut it by any more than 1/3. but I remember Ling usually does as much as 1/2.

Are you thinking of making all of those things, or just one? How about carrot cake with cream cheese frosting? Cut down on the sugar and it won't be too sweet. I like the carrot cake from the Penzey's website. It doesn't have too many additions (no coconut, pineapple or raisins, just carrots and nuts), so it's still simple.

[yunnermeier]

Whoops sorry, I am in The Netherlands.

What's popular here: pies and tarts of all kinds,lots of whipped cream or mousse, in general, there's usually a lot more cream than anything else.

I don't think cheesecakes are weird but lots of people here do think so. Quark/Kwark is common in desserts though.

Cakes are considered boring because a cake in The Netherlands is a pound/coffee cake. Cakes with frosting are called tarts and pies are pies but cakes can also be pies (does not necessarily have a crust).

To make it even more confusing...

To finish of dinner, you have 'toetje' . This is usually yoghurt, mousse or something very light.

You never eat pies or cakes after dinner but have it with coffee a few hours later or before.

I like the idea of the chiffon cake layers soaked in some kind of liquor and fresh fruits. I'm sure they'll like that. The carrot cake sounds good too.

Edited July 28, 2008 by yunnermeier (log)

[baroness]

I'm thinking:

i) Dorie Greenspan's Applespice bars

ii) cupcakes (vanilla and chocolate with a variety of frostings)

iii) a very fudgey chocolate cake (or would that be boring as there are chocolate cupcakes as well?)

iv) a lemon tart (is that common in NL? Chufi? I do find citroentart at some cafes )

v) cookies (chocolate chip/ green tea sables)

**Edited to add: Would be lovely if you could let me know which ones can be baked in advance as I only have one small oven and limited supplies*

←

i) Dorie's recipe probably states how far in advance the bars can be made.

iii) I would do a flourless chocolate cake, as it is less sweet and does not require frosting...it's also good with fruit.

v) Sables can *definitely* be made ahead, and taste better with age!

[heleen1]

I'm in the Netherlands as well (born and raised!) and I can promiss you if your guests are not into sweet things, decrease sugar in Dorie Greenspans recipe. It is over the top sweet for what we are used to.

I think your idea of a lemon tart is brilliant. It is a little different from the average things, and light and fruity. Lemon bars might be a good alternative as well! Something else I'm thinking is maybe make a trifle? Bake a nice cake, and layer it with some curd and fresh berries, and you fulfill the idea of baking and 'toetje' all at once. Another suggestion might be a non-baked kwark cake. I usually make a génoise for this, then fill with a gelatin-stabilized kwark-heavy cream-fruit puree filling. Perfect for summer )

[Chufi]

As much as I love Dorie's apple spice bars, I think they're more appropriate for fall.

I vote for cupcakes! They're not very common in NL. With a beautiful frosting, they look unusual and cute enough to be interesting and impressive, yet the taste pleases even the most unadventurous cake eater (and being in NL myself, I do have some idea of your audience )

A fudgy chocolate cake would, for me, be too heavy after dinner/ dessert, if you serve it in the Dutch style with coffee at 8 or so.

edited to add: David Ross posted a brilliant recipe for lemon/blackberry bars somewhere on eGullet..

Edited July 29, 2008 by Chufi (log)

[yunnermeier]

Thanks for all your help!

I will make the lemon tart, some pretty cupcakes and possibly the green tea sables(if I can find matcha).

I also like the cake+cream idea so I'll probably do that for Farmboy's birthday this weekend.